“I have suspected as much,” declared Mr. Rockford. “The South is bound to bring on a war. They won’t argue the point or listen to reason. The seceding of South Carolina has started a flame which will take hard work to quench.” “Never mind the war just now, father. What am I to do about my watch and money?” “Better let them go, Louis. You can prove nothing against Jacks and his companions, for if brought into court they would deny everything, and as matters stand down there, their word would be taken in preference to yours.” “I don’t believe any fair-minded men, even if they are so-called rebels, will uphold such actions. Mr. Arlington is a rebel, and so is Andy, but they are honest and square for all that. They are merely sticking up for what they believe is right.” “Gracious, Lou, you are not going to turn rebel, are you?” exclaimed Lucy, half in horror. “I’ll wager pretty Grace Arlington has been trying to convert him to slavery,” asserted Martha, who was the tease of the family. “No, I’m not going to turn rebel,” answered the boy, blushing at the mention of Grace. “But I want you to understand that there are a great many gentlemen and men of honor down South, and some mighty nice people, too, for all of their notions about slavery and State rights.” “Of course there are, my son,” said Mr. Rockford. “And, as you say, they think they are in the right, and they are willing to fight for what they think. But, for all that, they are wrong, and sooner or later they must acknowledge it.” “Mr. Arlington told me, one day, that there used to be nearly as many slaves in the North as there were in the South, and when we gave up slavery here we sold our slaves to the South.” “There is something of truth in that, Louis--we certainly had slaves, and some were sent South--how many I do not know.” “And he said that now we want to free those same slaves or their children--after taking Southern money for them,” went on the boy, earnestly. “What I object to, Louis, is the extension of slavery. I think it ought to be allowed to die out. I am sure the matter could be arranged if the real statesmen could get together, without the interference of the hot-heads on both sides. It would be much better to arrange things peaceably than to plunge the whole nation into civil war.” Soon after this the conversation was interrupted by Mrs. Rockford, who had prepared a hasty but hot midnight meal for her son. Louis partook of this with avidity, and on retiring rolled himself in a flannel blanket, to sweat out any cold he might have caught when out in the wintry rain.